The Freelander model, which was once popular among consumers, was discontinued by Land Rover in 2014 after its introduction in 1997. It was replaced at that time by the Discovery Sport. Now, Land Rover is bringing this model back in an updated form.
Jaguar Land Rover, in collaboration with the Chinese company Chery, has introduced the Freelander as a new electric vehicle. The first product in this series is the Freelander 8, which the company unveiled on August 14th, initiating pre-orders.
In just 48 hours, or two days, over 10,000 people placed a pre-order. This SUV attracted attention even before the official start of sales in China. Although the Freelander itself is not planned for the Indian market, the vehicle's platform could be utilized in Tata Avinya's flagship electric lineup in India. The company may make a major announcement regarding this by the end of the current year.
Returning to the Freelander 8, it should be noted that more than 10,000 buyers reserved it in the first 48 hours after pre-booking began. The starting price for this SUV is 339,900 yuan (equivalent to approximately 48.30 lakh rupees). The vehicle is available in 5 and 6-seater configurations.
The car is equipped with a 60.3 kWh battery. This SUV operates on a Range Extender Electric Vehicle system, meaning it has an engine in addition to the battery. The car integrates a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, but it does not transmit power to the wheels; instead, it serves to charge the battery.
The system is equipped with two motors that generate 818 hp and 813 Nm of torque. The rear electric motor is capable of producing up to 335 hp. According to the company, the Freelander 8 can achieve a range of 310 kilometers in electric mode. It features an 800V architecture and supports 6C standard charging.
The vehicle can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in just 12 minutes. Among the SUV's features are a dual-chamber pneumatic suspension, CCD damping, and a mechanical front differential lock. It also includes a rear wheel steering mechanism, allowing the rear wheels to turn up to 10 degrees.
The SUV dimensions are 5,118 mm in length, 2,050 mm in width, and 1,898 mm in height. The wheelbase reaches 3,040 mm. As for the interior, it is equipped with a large horizontal 15.6-inch touchscreen display, and separate 17.3-inch displays are provided for rear passengers.